March 24, 2026
A pastoral company has been fined $45,000 after moving several thousand head of livestock across the border into Queensland without the required records
The company faced 22 offences under Queensland’s Biosecurity Act 2014.
In 2023, Biosecurity Queensland investigated reports of the livestock being moved without the required records.
The investigation revealed that from June to September 2023 the company moved cattle on stock routes throughout Queensland – through Goondiwindi, Western Downs, Balonne and Maranoa – without the required movement records or National Livestock Identification System notifications, before transporting them to agistment.
A representative of the company pleaded guilty to 22 offences, including failure to provide prescribed livestock movement information, maintain accurate records and register as a biosecurity entity.
The court imposed a combined penalty of $45,000, the largest fine handed down under the Act to date.
No conviction was recorded.
It’s about time… will all Pastoral Operators be audited as many huge operators are blatantly manipulating the Biosecurity Regs by using prestaging properties as feeder grazing fattening properties when moving massive numbers of stock from Queensland to NSW feedlots?
They are playing Russian roulette with Australia’s biosecurity and putting small landholders next door at a massive exposure risk just because they have the means and wealth to manipulate the government and the systems.